


Stitched Together

by SoDoRoses (FairyChess)



Series: Pieces Verse - Soulmate AU [5]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, MAYBE migendering but only kinda, Parental Abuse, Threats of Violence, roman doesnt know he's nb yet, so he's still only using he/him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29177412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyChess/pseuds/SoDoRoses
Summary: The sun rises on the first day of the rest of Virgil’s life.His new soulmate is not nearly as happy to greet the dawn.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Background Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Creativity | Roman Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders
Series: Pieces Verse - Soulmate AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745191
Comments: 21
Kudos: 185





	Stitched Together

**Author's Note:**

> serves as a direct sequel to _Patched Up Satin_
> 
> for the prompt:
> 
> "slamming my hand on the desk. on it peice of paper where is written - SOULMATE VERSE PRINXIETY THE FAMILY MEET VIRGIL 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕" (from @give-me-a-minute-to-think on tumblr)
> 
> thank you to @fandomsandanythingelse for beta-reading this for me!

Virgil was cold, exhausted, covered in sand, and having the best morning of his life.

The sun was just starting to rise over the lake, the sky turning predawn gray-blue. There were goosebumps on his arms now that he’d shed his jacket, but it was for a good cause.

Curled under Virgil’s arm and wrapped in his jacket was Roman, AKA the reason Virgil felt like he’d swallowed sparks. He’d taken ahold of Virgil’s other hand almost reverently, the crimson palm splayed flat and occasionally touched with a single, cautious finger before he’d turn and beam up at Virgil with a smile that stole the breath right from Virgil’s lungs.

Reaching up, Virgil carded his fingers through the hair at the nape of Roman’s neck – such _red_ hair, shockingly so, though not quite the same shade as Virgil’s freshly colored palm –grinning when Roman practically preened and snuggled closer.

They’d fallen into silence hours ago, after talking in the dark until they’d nearly lost their voices, and Virgil was shocked they hadn’t fallen asleep. Roman might have dozed off a couple times, but even in the dark Virgil hadn’t been able to take his eyes off him.

A _soulmate._ Virgil hadn’t even been looking for his, but fate happened when it happened, and he certainly wasn’t going to complain.

Well. Complain much.

Not about Roman, of course not – but there were things. Small things Roman said, that began to paint an ugly, painful picture, one that Virgil could hardly bear to look at closer.

Roman had been so delighted by holding hands – Virgil hadn’t thought anything of it, until he’d said something about never knowing that it could be so different between people before Patton had taught him how.

_Taught_ him – taught him how to _hold hands._

The way Roman would pull away, once an hour or so, and take deep, steadying breaths before he returned to Virgil’s arms. The way he kept glancing behind them at the looming big house, tense as a strung bow. _Scared,_ of his own home.

He’d closed off a little, after that first kiss – shyer, suddenly, but it wasn’t that hard to draw him back into banter. Virgil needled him gently, every time he turned and looked and his eyes shuttered, anxious.

The sky edged from pale to golden, and Roman began to grow nervously tense under Virgil’s arm.

“Hey,” said Virgil, voice raspy from how long they’d been quiet.

“Hmm?” said Roman, looking up immediately.

“You okay?”

“Hmm,” Roman repeated, a little more tonelessly, which was both very worrying and not an answer.

Frowning, Virgil tucked him a little closer, leaning over to kiss his temple gently.

And oh was _that_ a good idea, because in the brightening light it became obvious that Roman blushed just as red as his hair, accentuating his freckles and turning him rosy with embarrassment.

Roman giggled nervously, and Virgil grinned down at him. Blushing even darker, Roman cleared his throat and straightened himself a little.

“Do you think-”

He wavered, and Virgil nudged him.

“Yeah?” he prompted.

“Do you think you could kiss me again?” said Roman, exhaling the whole sentence in one breath, and Virgil’s heart melted.

“It’s just- it’s a _very_ nice feeling,” Roman continued, “I’ve decided it might be my favorite.”

“Have you never kissed anyone?” said Virgil, despite being almost sure he already knew the answer. Roman shook his head, confirming it.

“No,” he said. It explained the endearing, fumbling clumsiness of that first one, but Roman had seemed to be a fast learner over the few they’d exchanged since then.

Virgil moved his hands to cup Roman’s face, tilting his head up and kissing him gently. Roman sighed into it, sounding blissfully content, and Virgil tucked the sound into his heart to wonder at later.

“I’ll kiss you whenever you want, pretty boy,” murmured Virgil when they broke apart, and Roman absolutely beamed at him.

It was light now though, properly. Roman went tense and turned to look at the big house again, biting his lip in worry, before turning to look at Virgil with an anxious, almost panicked frown.

“Someone’s going to notice I’m gone soon,” he said quietly, “They’ll notice if I’m not there for breakfast.”

Virgil’s own stomach twisted immediately with nerves. He didn’t need Roman to tell him that this wasn’t going to be a typical meet-the-parents. He’d briefly touched on Patton, Logan’s soulmate, and from the sound of it, he hadn’t exactly been welcomed.

“… Together?” he asked quietly.

Roman bit his lip nervously, glancing between Virgil and the house again, before slowly nodding.

“Okay,” he said quietly, “Together.”

They stood, brushing the sand off of themselves. Roman put Virgil’s jacket on properly, which was comforting – the last thing they needed right now was for someone else to see Roman’s soulmark before he could see it for himself and give them a spat of bad luck.

Taking him by the hand, Roman began to lead him down the beach, toward the house. He walked right past the blatantly hostile-looking “No Trespassing” signs without flinching, but they made Virgil feel like his heart was in his throat.

The Fitzroys’ private area of the beach was dotted with unsettlingly clean outdoor furniture, and a low, elaborately carved stone wall separated the sand from their perfectly manicured, enormous lawn. Roman let go of his hand to undo the latch of the gate, reaching back for him again as soon as they were through.

The walk up the slightly sloped lawn was already tense, and then Roman went rigid and stopped cold. Virgil paused too, looking around, his hackles raising as what was clearly a guard coming toward him, his hand at his hip.

He slowed as he approached them, frowning.

“… Mr. Fitzroy?”

“Yes?” drawled Roman, and Virgil startled a little – there was practically no inflection in his voice except for a bored note of condescension that honestly made Virgil a little uncomfortable.

“Where have you been?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

The guard hesitated.

“And this… young man-”

“Is my guest,” said Roman coldly, “Which I also don’t have to explain to you.”

The guard looked between them warily.

“… Of course,” he said finally, “Apologies.”

He turned and began to walk quickly back toward the building and Roman slumped as soon as his line of sight was away – Virgil relaxed.

An act – a bluff. Virgil was familiar. It made sense that Roman’s bluffing looked a lot more like a stuck-up, patronizing noble, if that was who he was around constantly.

The big house seemed to loom as they approached, Roman’s shoulders practically climbing up his neck with tension. It was somehow even more ostentatious up close, and Virgil felt painfully out of place.

They reached the elaborate front steps, and Roman stopped again. Virgil looked around, but there was no one, even as Roman didn’t make any move toward the building.

“… Roman?”

Roman took a deep breath, and pulled Virgil suddenly to the side, into a corner between two of the sets of stairs. There was a wild look in his eyes as he tucked them into the corner, and Virgil felt a sudden spike of alarm that Roman was breathing way too quickly.

“Roman-”

“You don’t have to do this,” choked Roman.

Virgil’s voice died in his throat.

“I’m sorry,” croaked Roman, “I met- I met Patton’s parents, and they were so happy to meet Logan and it’s not- I need you to know it’s not going to be like that at all.”

Virgil had figured as much, but Roman was continuing before he could speak.

“They’re- they’re going to hate you,” said Roman, his voice wobbling, “And you deserve- you deserve so much better, and safer, and kinder but- but this is all I have to give you. And I won’t- I won’t stop you if it’s not enough and you leave.”

Roman closed his eyes, bracing, like for a blow – Virgil felt like his heart was cracking clean in two.

“I won’t,” said Virgil firmly, squeezing his hands, “I won’t leave you. Not ever.”

Eyes opening, Roman looked up at him, wary and hopeful.

“Not _ever,_ ” repeated Virgil fiercely, turning his hand palm up and presenting it, “You’re meant for me. You’re worth it, worth any of it. As long as we’re together that’s enough for me.”

Roman’s eyes went shiny immediately, and Virgil leaned in to kiss him firmly, a punctuation.

“If you’re sure,” said Roman when they separated.

“There is nothing that could change my mind,” said Virgil firmly.

Roman let out a shaking breath, nodding a few times, before giving himself a final, firm shake and pulling Virgil out of the corner, leading him up the steps.

The door was just as opulently huge as the rest of the house, which Virgil thought was especially unnecessary, but it seemed well-balanced, since Roman didn’t have any trouble opening it. Their footsteps echoed in the huge entry room as they entered, and so did the door closing behind them.

There were already people waiting.

Virgil had never seen the Fitzroys any closer than he’d seen Roman, but they were easy enough to recognize. Virgil could see some of Roman’s features reflected in their faces, especially his mother, but it was marred by the sheer cruelty twisting their expressions.

Roman practically wilted as soon as he saw them, drawing in on himself. He didn’t hide – in fact he moved slightly forward and between Virgil and his own parents, as if to shield him, but still he was practically cowering, and Virgil’s blood began to boil.

These were Roman’s _parents._ Virgil tried to imagine being afraid of his own and his stomach could only turn over in response. If Virgil had hated Winston and Josephina Fitzroy when they’d only been specters of oppression, this was quickly eclipsing it.

“ _What-_ ” hissed Roman’s mother, “-on _Earth_ is the meaning of this?”

Roman squared his shoulders even as they were shaking.

“Hello Mother, Father,” said Roman, some of that fake haughtiness coloring his voice again, “I have- I have met my soulmate, and-”

“You will be _silent_ if you know what’s good for you!” shouted Roman’s father – Roman recoiled like he’d been hit and Virgil pressed himself forward and let go of Roman’s hand to grip his shoulders instead.

“And you have the _audacity_ to behave so indecently right in front of us,” said Josephina with an incredulous laugh, “Hanging all over a commoner in broad daylight, out the whole night like some kind of hooligan – the _nerve_ of you, you ungrateful brat, to come back into my house dressed like a common whore and toting this- this gutter-swelling _riff-raff-”_

“He _isn’t,_ don’t call him that-” blurted Roman.

“Did we not tell you to _shut your mouth?”_ she shrieked.

Roman visibly bit the inside of his cheek, and Virgil’s ears were ringing, with panic or rage he didn’t know- he didn’t know what they’d do, if they’d call for guards to throw them out or just scream themselves hoarse, but he found himself dreading the answer.

“You are an absolute _disgrace,_ ” she spat, and as she made her way down the steps Virgil’s felt his hackles raise, “Logan’s foolishness was bad enough, but you _exposing_ yourself to _seek out_ this nonsense is nothing short of _shameful,_ you obnoxious little-”

She wasn’t quite within arms reach yet – but her hand half-raised as she approached, and Virgil lunged, dragging Roman back by the shoulders and planting his feet between them.

She stopped. They glared at each other for a long moment, and Virgil didn’t dare even breathe.

She stepped back.

“Get out of my sight,” she hissed, “If I so much as glimpse you for the rest of today you will regret it dearly,”

Roman didn’t hesitate even a fraction of a second – he gripped Virgil’s hand like a vice and bolted, dragging Virgil with him out of the room and down the hallways, sprinting like a panicked rabbit.

After several minutes – and wasn’t that an extra bit of insanity added to Virgil’s panic, that this house was big enough not to traverse at several minutes of a dead run – Roman dragged Virgil into a room, slammed the door shut, and burst into tears.

Virgil wrapped him in his arms immediately, gathering Roman to his chest as they sank to the floor.

_Well_ , Virgil thought bitterly, _it can only go up from here._

—

At some point Virgil had pulled Roman up from the floor and transferred the two of them to the couch of Roman’s solar, but Roman had been so busy crying his eyes out it didn’t really register until several minutes later, when he felt like he’d squeezed his face dry of all possible tears.

He sniffled, and Virgil offered him a slightly battered tissue from his pocket. Laughing wetly, Roman wiped his face and sat up.

“Well,” he said thickly, “That went- a little better than I thought it might.”

Virgil gave him a pained, incredulous expression.

“What would have been _worse?_ ” he asked, clearly horrified.

“They could have disowned me and thrown me out on the street without giving me a chance to say goodbye to my brothers,” replied Roman hysterically, because he had turned _that_ worst case scenario over in his mind about a thousand times tonight.

A familiar set of thundering footsteps came crashing down the hall, and Roman relaxed the same moment Virgil tensed, right before the door slammed open and Remus burst into the room.

Virgil moved like he might be about to stop him, but he let Roman go when he stood to meet Remus halfway. Logan and Patton entered the door at a more sedate pace as Remus grabbed Roman around the waist and squeezed, burying his face in Roman’s neck.

Logan stepped closer too, his hands fluttering nervously around the two of them like he wanted to join the hug but didn’t know where to put his hands.

“Hey, guys,” croaked Roman.

“Where have you _been?_ ” said Logan hysterically, finally deciding to place his hand on the crown of Roman’s head, “Remus found your bed empty in the middle of the night, I thought you’d run away-”

“ _What?”_ said Roman, aghast at the idea that Logan would even consider Roman had left them.

“Wouldn’t have blamed you,” muttered Remus.

“But you hadn’t even left a _note,”_ continuedLogan _, “_ I was so _worried_ , Roman, please don’t do that again-”

Over Logan’s shoulder, Roman saw Patton and Virgil exchange a handshake.

“Welcome to the family,” said Patton, barely audible over Logan’s anxious monologue. He somehow managed to sound both genuine and sarcastic, and Virgil huffed a wry laugh.

“- _Anything_ could have happened to you,” said Logan, quieting a little.

“I’m fine,” Roman assured, “Really, truly, better than fine.”

“Where on earth did you even go?” said Logan incredulously, “There’s very little open so late.”

“And who’s Stretch over there?” said Remus, finally releasing Roman and stepping back, though he didn’t go far.

Roman’s heart swelled slightly, overshadowing the lingering misery. He grinned at them, pulling away and crossing the room to stand beside Virgil.

“Lo, Ree, Patton,” he said, trembling a little with nerves, “This is Virgil. He’s my soulmate.”

They all stared for a moment, before Patton’s face cleaved into a grin and he let out a squeal of delight, bouncing on his toes.

“Oh, _congratulations!”_ he exclaimed, “I’m so happy for you!”

Taking Roman by the hand, Virgil squeezed and offered Roman’s brothers the other.

Logan and Remus hesitated for a moment before giving him ginger, awkward handshakes. Virgil didn’t react except with a smile, and Roman felt a little flare of fondness in his chest.

“Oooh, very red,” said Patton, gesturing to Virgil’s palm, “I like it! It suits you both,”

“What color is yours, Roman?” said Logan curiously.

Virgil went tense, and Roman squeezed his hands.

“Virgil said its bad luck for anyone to see it or know the color before I do,” said Roman, “It’s why he gave me his jacket,”

Logan turned to Patton.

“I didn’t know that,” he said curiously.

Patton hesitated.

“Uh, well,” he said, “It- it definitely is something I’ve heard people say.”

“So I’m gonna need to go in my room for a moment, that’s where my mirror is,” said Roman.

“Very well,” said Logan, “We will wait here. Er- good luck, I suppose.”

As he passed them, Logan and Remus couldn’t seem to resist reaching out again for quick, sideways hugs. Logan bumped the sides of their heads together, and Remus tucked his forehead and Roman’s neck again.

Roman tensed a little. Remus’s hand was shaking where it was wrapped around Roman’s ribs.

“Hey, are you okay?” Roman murmured.

Remus pulled back, grinning.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” he said lightly, “I mean, I’m gonna be significantly less okay if I have to hear you hook up with your new giant boyfriend, so you better not get frisky in there while we’re waiting. Hands above the waist, you get the idea.”

“Oh you- don’t be _gross!”_ exclaimed Roman, punching him lightly on the arm. Virgil was carefully looking anywhere else but at Roman or his brothers.

“What? I’m just _saying-”_

“Wait here, you gremlin, I’ll be right back,” said Roman, socking him lightly again. Virgil did follow him into his room – he had mentioned earlier he wanted to see Roman’s face.

Shutting the door behind him, he crossed over to the mirror, bouncing on his toes. He almost didn’t want to take off the jacket, which was big and warm and smelled wonderfully like Virgil, but the lure of seeing his soulmark was enough to over power it. He shed it, handing it to Virgil before twisting awkwardly to look at his back in the mirror.

And there it was – pressed into the base of his spine, the full print of Virgil palm – it was a rich, dark shade of purple, and the light caught it in a way that was almost metallic.

“ _Oh_ ,” said Roman, “Oh, it’s _lovely_ Virgil, is it- is it the same shade as the patches on your jacket?”

“Not quite, Virgil replied, grinning at Roman’s obvious delight, “It’s darker and a little more blue-ish.”

“It’s _perfect,_ ” said Roman, his voice cracking, “Oh, I can’t _wait_ to show my brothers, it’s so pretty I-”

The lump in his throat grew a little, and Roman turned to look up at Virgil with a wet smile.

“I’m so _happy,_ ” he croaked, “I’m so happy I found you.”

Virgil’s smile softened into something downright besotted, and he leaned in to press a kiss to Roman’s forehead.

“Me too,” he said, bumping their noses as he pulled back. Then he grinned a little teasingly.

“I mean, it would have been great if we could have managed it _without_ you getting mugged. Let’s try not to repeat that.”

Roman snorted, opening his mouth to reply, before a knock cut him off.

“Can we come in?” called Patton, “I’ve got two very impatient brothers of yours out here Roman, I feel like they’re gonna just take off.”

“Come in!” called Roman, and the words were barely out of his mouth before the three of them practically tumbled through the door.

Logan was nearly vibrating with curiosity, and Roman turned to show him immediately. When he turned back Logan was beaming.

“Very beautiful,” said Logan, “And yours are two different colors, while mine and Patton’s are two different shades of the same color, that’s absolutely fascinating.”

“… Yeah,” said Virgil, something strangely mournful in his voice, “Everyone’s is different.”

Logan launched into a series of questions for Patton and Virgil, and Roman smiled fondly at him. Remus moved around their brother and elbowed Roman gently on the arm.

“It does look nice,” he said, strangely subdued, “I’m happy for you,”

“Thank you,” said Roman, a little breathless.

Remus squirmed a little.

“Some of the servants- they heard you come home. They told me it- didn’t go well,”

Roman winced, and Remus took him by the hand and squeezed.

“Uh- no,” he said quietly, so as to not disturb Logan’s enthusiasm a few feet away, “No, it did not.”

Remus squeezed again.

“Okay,” he said, “But- you know you’ve got us.”

He elbowed Roman abruptly.

“And your new boy-toy, obviously,”

Roman groaned, and Remus just snickered at him.

“So we’re gonna figure it out together, right?” continued Remus.

There was something strange in his voice, but Roman couldn’t decipher it. He watched Remus’s small, comforting smile.

“… Of course,” said Roman, elbowing him gentler than Remus had him, “Always together.”

Smiling a little wider, Remus tugged him toward the others.

“C’mon,” he said, rolling his eyes, “Let’s rescue them from Logan.”

Laughing, Roman followed.

He knew it was going to be hard, but like Remus said – with his brothers and Patton and new soulmate that Roman could already feel himself falling in love with, he did think it would be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> you can also find me on tumblr @tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors


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